LOCAL CLIPBOARD: Women's basketball, men's hockey, pro hockey

WAHPETON, N.D. — North Dakota State College of Science has hired former UND player and assistant coach Thomas Dryburgh as its new coach.

He also will be the athletic marketing-fundraiser coordinator.

Dryburgh replaces Paulette Stein, who announced in March her plans to retire.

Dryburgh comes to NDSCS from UND where he served as assistant women’s basketball coach from 2012-2013. Dryburgh also worked as the director of basketball operations at UND from 2008-2012.

Dryburgh, a Fordville, N.D., native, played at both NDSCS and UND.

“I firmly believe that we have hit this one out of the park by hiring Thomas Dryburgh,” said NDSCS athletic director Stu Engen. “Not only is he an NDSCS alum who played basketball for the Wildcats, but he is a North Dakota native with valuable recruiting experience within the region. His presence will represent the college well for years to come.”

Men’s hockey

UND’s Gothberg honored

UND sophomore goaltender Zane Gothberg has been named National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Player of the Month for March and April, the conference announced Wednesday.

Gothberg backstopped North Dakota to a NCAA Midwest Regional championship and a Frozen Four appearance, leading the nation in appearances (11), starts (11), minutes played (681:17) and saves (284) during March and April while tying for the national lead with a pair of shutouts.

The Thief River Falls, Minn., native recorded a 1.76 goals against average and .934 save percentage during that stretch and finished second nationally with an NCHC-leading six victories.

Gothberg allowed two goals or fewer in 10 of his 11 March and April starts and boasted a 1.48 GAA and .948 save percentage in his three NCAA tournament starts. He made a career-high 44 saves in UND’s 2-1 double-overtime win over Ferris State in the regional championship game and stopped 66 of 69 shots in his two regional appearances.

A sixth-round draft pick of the Boston Bruins in 2010, Gothberg finished his sophomore season with a 20-10-3 record, led the NCHC with a 1.99 goals against average and ranked second with a .926 save percentage, the highest in UND history. He earned Academic All-NCHC honors and was a finalist for NCHC Goaltender of the Year.

Nebraska Omaha forward Jake Guentzel was named NCHC Rookie of the Month.

Pro hockey

Tippett to coach Canada

Hockey Canada announced Wednesday that former UND standout and current Phoenix Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett will serve as head coach for Team Canada at the upcoming 2014 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championship.

Tippett recently completed his fifth season as head coach in Phoenix, where he led the club to three Stanley Cup playoff appearances and a pair of 40-win seasons. Tippett, the franchise leader in career coaching victories, won the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL Coach of the Year in 2009-10. He is 193-126-57 with Phoenix and is 464-282-122 in an 11-year NHL coaching career that also includes a six-year stint as Dallas head coach from 2002-03 to 2008-09.

His ties to Hockey Canada run deep as both a player and coach. He twice served as associate head coach at the World Championships, winning a silver medal in 2009. As a player, Tippett spent two full seasons (1983-84 and 1991-92) with the Canadian National Team as a player and was also a two-time Olympian, captaining the 1984 team and winning silver with the 1992 squad.

Tippett spent the 1981-82 and 1982-83 seasons at UND, leading the program to a national championship as a freshman. He scored 28 goals and added 59 assists for 87 points in 79 collegiate games and was an All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) second team selection as a sophomore.

After leaving UND, Tippett went on to enjoy an 11-year NHL playing career that included stops in Hartford, Washington, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. He finished his NHL career with 262 points (93 goals, 169 assists) in 721 games.

The 2014 IIHF World Championship takes place May 9-25 in Minsk, Belarus.

Briefly

College baseball: Minnesota-Crookston announced the addition of Crookston High School infielder Cody Magsam to a National Letter of Intent.

College softball: Due to inclement weather and poor field conditions the UND softball games at South Dakota State on Wednesday were canceled. The games will not be rescheduled. UND will play a three-game series against Southern Utah on Friday and Saturday.